"The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men
are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way
of salvation. And this she did many days. But Paul, being grieved,
turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus
Christ to come out of her" (Acts16:16-18). Look at the
sensitivity of the Apostle Paul, discerning the difference between
the right doctrine and the right spirit. Many things propagated
today sound good, but the spirit is for personal gain. If we can
hear and listen, we can discern the spirit. That which we have
received by grace, that which we possess now, we can lose if we
entertain the spirit of the age. Are we as zealous today for the
things of God as we were when we were first illuminated in them?
Can we tell the difference between hearing something good and
discerning the spirit behind it?

This woman was saying the right things--"These men are the
servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of
salvation"--but not embracing salvation; she was
demon-possessed. Paul, discerning that distinction, turned and
spoke--not to the girl--to the spirit, and said, "Come out of her."
As we're looking at the Book of Acts, what stands out is this
anointing, the power and authority of the name of Jesus, the
kingdom conflict, and how as believers these signs should follow
us: healing the sick, casting out devils. How aware are you of the
demonic hosts around you that you're facing on a daily basis? How
capable are you of seeing the spirit behind those that are trying
to manipulate you by saying what you want to hear? When is the last
time you were used in breaking the bondage in somebody's life, and
maybe even recognizing it in your own life?

The proper doctrine is what the seven sons of Sceva involved
themselves in. They came up to that demon and said, "In the name of
Jesus that Paul preaches, come out."

And the demon responded, "Jesus we know, Paul we know, but who
are you?"

Who are you? Do the hosts of darkness know who you are? Is your
name written in the heavens? Are we a people known to be
ambassadors and representatives of the kingdom of God? Do the
principalities and powers respond to us as they did to our Master,
"Why have you come to torment us before our time?" Is your life a
torment to people? I'm not talking about our personalities. Does
your presence bring the spiritual hypocrisy out in people as you
discern the spirit in those things? You see, when we're around
people, they talk about God, but they don't know God. We need to be
ready to speak at different times to oppose that spirit by which
they are speaking. You may cast out a devil, or you may just
confront them and say, "You don't even know the God I'm talking
about. Where's the fruit? Where's the obedience? Where is the cross
in your life that would cause you to be counted one with Him?"

We've seen demonic activity. We see it in the lives of serial
killers, pedophiles, drug addicts, but it is just as much in the
lives of those who are bound by covetousness on Madison Avenue.
They're wearing $3,000 suits and they're demon-possessed--liars,
cheats, slanderers. Tragically they're in the pulpit, making
merchandise at the house of God. We need to be aware that not
everything that we hear that sounds good is of God, and not
everything that sounds like sound doctrine is coming from an
ambassador of God. It might be the right doctrine but from the
wrong messenger.